Utsunomiya · 宇都宮市

In front of the train station stands a statue of Venus wrapped in a dumpling wrapper – no coincidence in Japan's self-proclaimed gyoza capital. A trip to Utsunomiya pairs perfectly with Nikkō, but the city has surprises of its own: underground quarries, cocktail bars, and a brand-new tram line.

Gyoza and Cocktails: Eating in Utsunomiya

Since the 1990s, the city has marketed itself through its dumplings, and dozens of restaurants serve gyoza pan-fried, steamed, or in soup, often in small family-run places with a short menu and a long line. Many restaurants are clustered around the train station and the Orion-dōri shopping street; in autumn, a large gyoza festival draws crowds. Utsunomiya regularly spars with Hamamatsu over the title of the city with the highest gyoza consumption. Less well known is the bar scene: Utsunomiya also calls itself a cocktail city, several award-winning bartenders run their own bars here, and jazz saxophonist Sadao Watanabe is a hometown son.

Ōya: Stone Underground

A few miles northwest lies Ōya, where a soft, greenish tuff stone has been quarried for centuries; Frank Lloyd Wright used it for the old Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. The Ōya Stone Museum leads into a disused quarry, a gigantic hall about 98 feet (30 meters) underground that stays cool even in summer and is used for concerts and film shoots. At Ōya-ji Temple, a Kannon figure is carved directly into the rock face, considered one of the oldest stone reliefs in Japan; next door, the roughly 89-foot (27-meter) Peace Kannon watches over the valley.

Sights in Utsunomiya

In the center, a steep stone staircase leads to Futarayama Shrine, around which the city grew and which has been venerated for over a thousand years. At Utsunomiya Castle Park, you can see earthen ramparts and two reconstructed watchtowers. Cycling fans know Utsunomiya for the Japan Cup road race in October and the professional team Utsunomiya Blitzen; bike paths and rental bikes make the hilly surroundings easy to explore.

Going Out in Utsunomiya

In the evening, life spreads across the alleys between Orion-dōri and the Kamagawa River, where izakaya, gyoza joints, and small bars are packed close together. The cocktail bars are often tiny, with just a few seats at the counter, and the bartenders take their time with every drink, often using fruit from Tochigi Prefecture, such as strawberries, for which the region is known. Several venues host regular jazz sessions. If you'd like to wind down the evening in a down-to-earth way, order another plate of gyoza and a beer – prices are much lower than in Tokyo.

Getting Around and Day Trips

The Tōhoku Shinkansen reaches Utsunomiya from Tokyo in just under 50 minutes; the nearest major airports are Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT). Since August 2023, the Utsunomiya Light Rail has run from the east exit of the station to the neighboring town of Haga – Japan's first completely newly built tram line in decades. In about 45 minutes, the JR Nikkō Line takes you to the shrines and temples of Nikkō, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best time to visit is autumn, when the forests change color, or spring; summers are hot and known for their violent thunderstorms.